Fox Chapel wins second in a row for 1st time since ’97

UNIONTOWN: Fox Chapel won its second consecutive game for the first time since 1997 with a 27-13 Quad West Conference victory over Laurel Highlands Friday at Mustangs Stadium.

Fox Chapel senior fullback/linebacker Matt Brunck not only produced his first career 100-yard rushing game, but he also scored two touchdowns, intercepted a pass, sacked the quarterback and blocked a field goal.

Brunck rushed for 128 yards on 17 carries and scored touchdowns on runs of 10 and four yards.

'Matt is our workhorse,' Fox Chapel coach Todd Massack said. 'When he has the football, he's hard to bring down. One time there was five guys on his back and he was still going.'

Fox Chapel moved to 3-2 in Quad West play and moved back into strong contention for a playoff berth. The Foxes are 3-4 overall.

Laurel Highlands slipped to 1-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

Fox Chapel relied on an unbalanced attack that piled up 278 rushing yards and no passing yards.

Fox Chapel quarterback Derek Evans attempted only two passes while the Foxes ran the ball 55 times.

'We're going to do whatever's working, and our running game is working right now,' said Massack. 'That's our strength.

'If we don't need to throw the football, we won't,' Massack said.

Fox Chapel pulled ahead 21-0 just before halftime on a pair of touchdown runs covering 8 and 5 yards by junior running back Jim Goerss, who picked up 91 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Goerss' second touchdown was set up by Brunck's interception that gave the Foxes the ball at the Laurel Highlands' 16-yard line.

Fox Chapel missed the chance to put the game away in the first half when Laurel Highlands wide receiver Santino Sloboda caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Matt Humbert just 23 seconds before halftime.

Brunck ran four yards between the tackles for a third-quarter touchdown as the Foxes finally put the outcome out of reach with a

27-13 lead.

Fox Chapel hosts Canon-McMillian at 7:30 p.m. Friday at James Burk Athletic Facility.

'Canon-McMillian is going to be a big game for us,' Massack said. 'It will be another step toward our goal of making the WPIAL playoffs.'

How they scored